Look Nungubon Muay Thai [Gym Review]

Finding Looknungubon is the first part of the experience. You have to keep your eyes peeled. Google Maps will get you there, but the gym is distinguished only by a sign outside a home. Because the gym is at someone’s home.

Pushing open an extremely heavy gate, the first greeting comes from a friendly dog. Her name is Kapi (“shrimp paste”), and you’ll be seeing her quite a bit throughout the training sessions.

You step into what feels like a converted backyard (reminiscent of Sitjaopho, though in the back, not the front). Despite overhead coverings for rain, the airflow is decent, allowing cool air to cut through the Thai humidity. The gym is gritty, old-school, and true to grassroots Muay Thai. The floors are uneven, and much of the equipment isn’t new, but it’s a clear example of a gym built with passion and what resources were available.

Contents

• Location & Accommodation
• The Gym
• Training
• Other Things to Do
• Things to Note
• Summary

Location & Accommodation

The gym is located in a residential area of Ubon Ratchathani, under 10 minutes from Ubon Ratchathani International Airport. While the immediate vicinity is just other houses (and some stray dogs), the main roads are a short ride away and feature mom-and-pop restaurants, local coffee shops, and familiar Thai chains. The area feels less like the deep countryside and more like a quiet suburban town.

The gym’s model is heavily geared towards an all-inclusive, on-site experience, as they prefer visitors to come and stay. There are seven rooms available. On the rare occasion these are full, a maximum of three additional people might stay off-site, but the gym’s goal is to house everyone.

“The max number of students we can handle is 10 foreigners,” says Rafael Angobaldo, an American fighter who’s been living in the province for several years now. He assists Nungubon with being a foreign liaison in addition to being a professional fighter. “After that, we close the gym to everyone else. Even if people walk in, we have to turn them away because we’re full. It’s not fair for people who are already there. And then the trainers are overworked and don’t put as attention into each customer.”

This model is also reflected in the pricing structure; the drop-in training prices are high compared to the all-inclusive rates, as the focus is on building a community with the fighters who are living there. “We like to keep it small,” explains Rafael. “We are not hungry for money to the point where we want to sacrifice the quality of training.”

The packages also include food. Nungubon’s wife usually does the cooking, and it’s always Isaan food served buffet style. The gym is happy to accommodate dietary restrictions. They have experience catering to Muslim and vegetarian customers and will do their best to meet any needs.

The Gym

The gym is named for its owner, Nungubon Sitlerdchai. The “Golden Era” of Muay Thai (1980s-1990s) was a time when a number of factors created an unprecedented rise in the sport’s popularity. Nungubon, who fought during this period, is nothing less than a legend.

To put his career in perspective, he is a 4-division Lumpinee Stadium champion. Most Thai fighters dream of just becoming a one-time, champion, but he successfully did it over his career in different weight classes. His titles include:

• 1990: Lumpinee Mini Flyweight (105 lbs) Champion, defeating Kompayak Singmanee by decision.
• 1991: Lumpinee Flyweight (112 lbs) Champion, defeating the legendary Langsuan Phanyuthapum by KO.
• 1995: Lumpinee Super Flyweight (115 lbs) Champion, defeating Yodsiam Sor.Prantalay by decision.
• 1999: Lumpinee Bantamweight (118 lbs) Champion, defeating Saenchai (yes, THE Saenchai) via split decision.

His most notable wins are against Saenchai, Kaensak Sor.Ploenchit, Jaroensap Kiatbanchong, and Wangchannoi Sor.Palangchai. Many of these fighters he has defeated have received “Fighter of the Year” awards from the Sports Writer’s Association. In Thailand, the Sports Writer’s Association Fighter of the Year award is seen as the most respected and important honor a Muay Thai fighter can earn.

Although Nungubon has never had the honor of winning the award Sports Writer’s Association award himself, he was the 1996 Lumpinee Stadium Fighter of the Year.

This amazing career and achievements of fighters from Look Nungubon can be found on the walls and shelves of the gym.

This career, however, is not the most interesting part of his story. Nungubon had actually closed his original gym years ago. When his son, Heng, was around 10 years old, he wanted to stop fighting and pursue football instead. To help support his son’s passion and pay for the expensive equipment football required, Nungubon gave away all his fighters (he didn’t even sell them). He went to China to earn money for his family. It wasn’t until Heng decided he wanted to fight again that Nungubon returned to Ubon and they started training together again.

The decision to open the gym to foreigners was also driven by his son. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Muay Thai scene in Ubon was struggling, and many fighters retired. Heng would have needed to go back to a Bangkok gym to find training partners. Instead, Nungubon opened his doors, and as visitors began to arrive, it reignited his own passion for teaching.

This family-centric philosophy is the core of the gym’s identity. Nungubon refers to everyone who trains there as his children, his ‘look’ (ลูก). This is the origin of the gym’s name: “Look Nungubon”, the children of Nungubon.

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A post shared by Wansongchai Kwamsawat (@hengwansongchai.ii)

The gym itself is Nungubon’s home. It’s an open-air space with a single ring in the back. The canvas on the ring has seen a lot of use, making it soft and a bit uneven underfoot. Heavy bags in various states of repair (some new, some taped) line the perimeter, though not all are usable due to uneven flooring. The mats are in fair condition with good grip, though they carry the dirt of a well-worked gym. To be clear: this is not a gym for those who are a bit posh or looking for a photogenic place to train. It’s a no-frills, function-over-form environment.

This no-frills environment is a work in progress, not a final state. Rafael noted that the gym is a huge improvement from what it was. “The ring used to have a hole in the middle. We used to have to spar in there,” Rafael remininces with a chuckle.

The long-term goal is to upgrade. “The goal would be to create like a complex [rooms, gym, swimming pools, etc.]… But it takes a lot of money and a lot of time… we’re always trying to upgrade and become better.”

The gym is small but the stable of Thai fighters and permanent/returning foreigners is high-level. The main fighter is Saengheng (Heng, Nungubon’s son), who was formerly ranked #3 at Rajadamnern Stadium. The other primary Thai fighter is BooDam, a well-known name in the Northeast Muay Thai circuit.

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A post shared by Neung Ubon (@look_nungubon)

The gym also has a strong foreign fight team compromised of people who stay at the camp long-term or repeat visitors. The biggest name is Jake Buksh from New Zealand. Other notable fighters include Ned Tucker, Paavo Leinonen, and, of course, Rafael.

Filtered water and ice are provided, which is a nice touch (many gyms in Thailand do not offer either, much less both). Just make sure you bring your own water bottle, or use the provided shared cups at the gym. There is loaner gear, but the condition varies. As with most gyms, it’s always safest to bring your own gloves and shinguards if you prefer a specific level of quality and fit. Bathrooms and a space for an ice bath are also available, and they align with the gym’s overall gritty, no-frills environment.

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Training

The gym only offers one formal training session in the afternoon, which is a notable difference from most other Muay Thai gyms. In the mornings, you are expected to run on your own and are welcome to use the gym for self-motivated shadowboxing or bagwork, but there is no formal group class.

Afternoon training starts around 4:30 PM. The suggested warmup is 20 minutes of running (within the gym) followed by 20 minutes of jump rope. This is followed by 3 rounds of group shadowboxing, using a short pole to focus on aim and footwork.

The structure of the main session alternates. Some days are padwork and clinching; other days are padwork and Muay Thai sparring. Boxing sparring is also included on some days. Training ends with some pull-ups and sit-ups.

Padwork rounds are 4-5 minutes long, depending on whether the trainer is strict about following the timer. My experience with pads varied dramatically, with some days receiving as many as 5 rounds and others only receiving 2.

The gym has a heavy lean on a technical muay femur style, which is Nungubon’s specialty. Once fighters reach a certain level, they begin to specialize. For example, Heng is a classic muay femur fighter, while Bon’s style is muay femur with a heavy emphasis on low kicks.

This technical focus comes from the top. Nungubon himself prefers to focus on technique rather than just a physically draining session. Other trainers focus on just the physical aspect, all gas and no brakes. Both aspects are needed if you are a fighter, but which style you prefer (and respond best to) on any given day will ultimately come down to your personal goals, your fight style, and the kind of training you respond to best.

During the week I was there, I missed out on a couple sessions due to the downpours (it was rainy season), and it just so happened I missed clinching as well on those days. However, I did get to spar the other sessions I was there. Here was a notable level of care taken to ensure partners were appropriately matched for safe, productive rounds. Nungubon himself was very mindful of safety and individual concerns, stepping in to manage pairings based on skill, size, and any pre-existing conditions. This careful oversight is a significant plus for anyone, especially fighters, concerned about being thrown in with uncontrolled or mismatched partners.

This focus on development is a core tenet of the gym, not just a byproduct of Nungubon’s style. When Rafael agreed Nungubon to help out at the gym, he made it clear that the gym must teach Muay Thai, noting that in some gyms, “people are not learning anything because the trainers are not teaching.”

This philosophy is summed up by Rafael: “The difference between Look Nungubon and gyms in Bangkok and Pattaya is that we try to take care of the students as much as possible. We try to develop you. We don’t care if you’re gonna fight… At the end of the day, P’Nung just want to pass on techniques, style, and all of the knowledge that he has.”

Other Things to Do

Outside of training, the main draw is the incredible Isaan food. Ubon is a major city in the region, famous for its som tum (papaya salad), sticky rice, and various grilled proteins. It’s especially known for its unique local dishes like Vietnamese sausage (moo yor) and rice noodles (guay jap). A word of warning: the local chilis are notoriously spicy, even by Thai standards.

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, there is Riverside Walking Street along the Mun River filled with food and shopping.

Beyond the food scene, the province is also very explorable. If you rent a car (or book a driver), you can easily make day trips out of town. Srindhorn Dam is a popular destination within the province.

Things to Note

The gym has a very welcoming, traditional, and no-frills vibe. There’s no pretense; you can just come as you are, and the trainers will meet you at your current level to help you work toward your personal goals.

The heart of the gym is Nungubon. He has an incredibly sweet, kind presence. As a leader, he is always hands-on, actively holding pads, sparring, and overseeing all the training. This adds a dynamic, personalized layer to every session. His hospitality extends beyond the mats. He’s a very social person who will sometimes take all the students out for breakfast, to the local sauna, or invite everyone to sing karaoke on the gym’s system after training. When you stay at the gym, you are truly treated as part of the family.

For women, the interactions are fairly standard for a traditional camp. The small gym size and Nungubon’s direct, kind oversight are a significant plus, as he is careful to ensure safe and fair sparring pairings. Women are expected to enter and exit the ring from under the bottom rope.

There is very little English spoken at the gym from the Thai trainers. This is common in many traditional gyms, and visitors can get by with pantomiming and effort, as most instruction is visual.

Finally, a special note: The mosquitos in Ubon can be relentless. Standing still for even a few seconds might attract a swarm, especially if you are not used to them. Bring strong repellent.

Summary

• Location: Meung Ubon Ratchathani, Ubon Ratchathani
• Proximity/Convenience: A short ride to main roads for local food and coffee. Less than 10 minutes from the airport.
• Price: The best way to contact the gym for inquiries and to book your stay is through their Instagram.
• Training: One formal afternoon session (starts ~4:30 PM).
• Gym Culture: Very traditional, “grassroots,” no-frills. The vibe is set by the owner, Nungubon, who is welcoming, kind, and a living legend of the sport.
• Language: Very little English aside from the foreign fighters.
• Getting There: Ride-sharing service (or scooter rental through the gym).

Special thank you to Rafael for his assistance in answering my questions and providing the rich history of the gym for this article.

If you want an in-depth guide to training in Thailand, I’ve got just the thing.